2.2.12 Who is a Tertiary Claimant for PLP?

Introduction

In general, an eligible primary carer of a child who is a PLP primary claimant will care for the child for the full 18 weeks of PLP. If a primary claimant ceases to be the primary carer, e.g. because of becoming incapable of caring for the child (1.1.I.05) or because of returning to work before receiving all of their 18 weeks of PLP, they may be able to transfer the balance of their PLP for the remainder of the 18 weeks (the maximum PPL period (1.1.M.20)) to another person who has become the primary carer of the child. The new caregiver is a secondary claimant. In exceptional circumstances (1.1.E 100), eligibility for the balance of PLP may be transferred from the secondary claimant to a tertiary claimant (1.1.T.70).

Claims from tertiary claimants are made in respect of highly unusual situations, generally where the secondary claimant is no longer caring for the child either because of incapacity or for because the primary claimant was expected to be incapable of caring for the child for at least 26 weeks and that situation changes before the end of the PPL period. The tertiary claimant category ensures that the balance of PLP can be paid to a primary carer of the child in such exceptional circumstances.